Pennsylvania Department of State — contact, fees & licensing
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
The Pennsylvania Department of State's Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations handles all business entity registrations, amendments, annual reports, and certificates. The Bureau operates from its Harrisburg office and accepts filings online, by mail, and in person. Cash is not accepted for any transaction — check, money order, or credit card (expedited filings only).
Open Official Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations & Charities Portal ↗Office contact
- Address
- 401 North Street, Room 206, Harrisburg, PA 17120
- Phone
- (717) 787-1057
- Toll-free phone
- (888) 659-9962
- RA-CORPS@pa.gov
- Payment
- No cash. Check or money order (standard); credit card (expedited counter filings only)
- Online filing portal
- file.dos.pa.gov
- Business Charities homepage
- dos.pa.gov — Business
Entity formation and filing fees
Pennsylvania charges $125 for LLC, for-profit corporation, and nonprofit corporation formations — the same flat fee regardless of entity type. Annual report fees are very low: $7 for for-profit entities and $0 for nonprofits. The Subsistence Certificate (equivalent of a Certificate of Good Standing) is $40. Foreign entities seeking authority to do business in Pennsylvania pay $250.
Domestic LLC — Certificate of Organization
- Fee
- $125
Domestic LLC — Annual Report (for-profit)
- Fee
- $7
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $125
Domestic For-Profit Corporation — Annual Report
- Fee
- $7
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Fee
- $125
Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — Annual Report
- Fee
- $0 (no fee)
Foreign Entity — Certificate of Authority
- Fee
- $250
Name Reservation or Registration
- Fee
- $70
Subsistence Certificate (domestic good standing)
- Fee
- $40
Certified copy of a filed document
- Fee
- $55 + $3/page
Plain (uncertified) copy of a filed document
- Fee
- $15 + $3/page
Expedited — same-day service (received before 10:00 a.m.)
- Fee
- +$100
Expedited — 3-hour service (received before 2:00 p.m.)
- Fee
- +$300
Expedited — 1-hour service (received before 4:00 p.m.)
- Fee
- +$1,000
Expedited fees are added on top of the standard filing fee and are not accepted by mail — paper requests require a separate expedited service form submitted in person or online. Veteran-owned and reservist-owned small businesses are exempt from certain Bureau fees under Act 135 of 2016.
UCC filing, notary, and apostille services
The Department of State also handles UCC filings, notary commissions, and document authentication:
- UCC search and filing — free online search at file.dos.pa.gov; a certified search costs $12 per debtor name, plus $3 per page copied.
- Notary public commissions — a $42 application fee plus a separate $65 state exam fee.
- Apostilles and authentications — $15 per document.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State UCC and document-certification pages (pa.gov).
Key Pennsylvania state licensing agencies
Pennsylvania Department of Revenue
- What it covers
- Sales and use tax registration, employer withholding, Corporate Net Income Tax
- Website
- revenue.pa.gov
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
- What it covers
- Unemployment compensation registration, workers' compensation, wage and hour
- Website
- dli.pa.gov
Pennsylvania Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs (BPOA)
- What it covers
- Professional licensing — healthcare, real estate, contractors, cosmetology, engineering
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Pennsylvania?
$125 — the same flat fee Pennsylvania charges for LLCs, for-profit corporations, and nonprofit corporations. Annual report fees are much lower: $7 for for-profit entities and nothing for nonprofits.
How much is expedited filing with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations?
It's added on top of the standard fee: +$100 for same-day service (received before 10 a.m.), +$300 for 3-hour service, and +$1,000 for 1-hour service. Expedited requests aren't accepted by mail.
Does Pennsylvania accept cash for business filings?
No. The Bureau of Corporations doesn't accept cash for any transaction. Checks and money orders must be payable to the Pennsylvania Department of State, and credit cards are accepted only for expedited filing services.